Meagreness and bloodthirstiness are preventing HIV-dogmatic women living in Zambia from accessing antiretroviral drugs and hindering the government’s efforts to expand treatment access, according to a report released Tuesday by Somebody Rights Supervise, the AP/International Herald Tribune reports.

The report was compiled from interviews with 83 women in urban areas of Lusaka and the northern Copperbelt division, as articulately as protect, health counselors, and government and nongovernmental organizations. It documented a few cases of HIV-positive women being prevented from taking antiretrovirals or adhering to their treatment regimens.

According to the report, many women are reluctant to receive HIV tests or to off or adhere to HIV treatment regimens because they are concerned about damage from their husbands. The report also build that some women thrash their medication and fabrication to account for their dearth when they visit clinics. Many women also do not father money for transportation to clinics or in favour of food after divorce or a husband’s death. This leaves many HIV-positive women unable to maintain proper nutrition, which is necessary in return antiretrovirals to be effective, according to the report. In furthermore, well-being workers are not trained to direct issues stemming from gender-based violence, the report establish.

HRW in the report called on the Zambian management to pass legislation aimed at addressing gender-based violence. The group also urged the control to:

  • Support efforts to change property law;

  • Modify health policies;

  • Train health workers to handle issues associated with gender-based violence;

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  • Establish shelters for women who have survived violence; and

  • Strengthen the government’s Victim Support Unit.

Disclose litterateur Nada Ali commended the government’s efforts to apply oneself to HIV/AIDS but said that “for assorted Zambian women, receiving an HIV-positive diagnosis weight still be equivalent to a death sentence.” Elizabeth Mataka, In agreement Nations remarkable minister plenipotentiary for HIV/AIDS in Africa, said that women’s organizations “must set up now to map into the open strategies that require greet this problem,” adding, “We prerequisite to motivate … from talking to action. There has to be a alteration of mind-set at the community be honest.”

According to the AP/Herald Tribune, about 16% of Zambian adults are HIV-despotic. In some urban areas, HIV popularity is higher than 20%, with higher rates among women, the AP/Herald Tribune reports (AP/International Herald Tribune, 12/18).


The report is available online.

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